Former world champion Amir Khan has called out Conor 'The Notorious' McGregor, the UFC featherweight champion, during a visit to the UFC Gym in Downtown Dubai – the first UFC Gym facility in the Middle East.

 Following weeks of speculation surrounding a potential showdown between Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather and McGregor, Khan stepped into the only UFC-grade Octagon in the Middle East to challenge the Irishman to a mixed martial arts (MMA) bout.

“I’ll go and fight Conor McGregor just to prove I’m a real man. I’m not one to back away, I’ve never backed away from any fight and I never will,” said Khan, a former unified WBA and IBF light-welterweight champion.

“Conor seems to have the same kind of attitude as well, so maybe that’s something that in the future that can happen. I say why not? I would definitely step into the Octagon with him. Conor, you’re a big name and let’s make this fight happen. I’d love to take him on. If Conor wants it, let’s have it.”

With Khan believing he would only need a year of MMA cross-training to get ready for McGregor, regular fight fans can also start training for careers in the Octagon at the UFC Gym in Downtown Dubai.

Meanwhile, UFC pioneer Royce Gracie backed Khan to make transition to MMA.

Commenting on the news of Khan being willing to face McGregor in the Octagon, Gracie said: “I’m glad that Amir is making a transition and if he learns some grappling, he’s got very good hands and power, he can do it. Anybody can do MMA.”

Gracie also said in an MMA match, McGregor had the obvious advantage over Khan.

“If it was a boxing match I’d put my money on Khan. But a MMA match, it’s a totally different ball game. Because McGregor’s been training for a long time already, so he’s smart, he’s very good. He’s top right now.

“But, having said that, anything can happen, there’s only one way to find out. There is a big difference, if you put the best MMA fighter in the boxing ring to fight a top boxer boxing rules it’s a totally different ball game.”